Mechanical release



Nov. 12, 1946.

L. P. FRIEDER ETAL MEcHANicAL RELEASE Filed July 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheetl ATTQEI/ZZY NOV. 12, 1946. p, FRlEDER ETAL. 2,410,816

MECHANICAL RELEASE Filed July 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov.12, 1945 2,410,816 MECHANICAL RELEASE Leonard P. Frieder,RockvilleCentre, and Walter S. Finken, Brooklyn, N. Y.; said Finkenassignor to said .Frieder Application July 20, 1945, Serial No. 606,192

9 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical releases. It is among the objectsof the invention to provide a device for supporting a load and foreffecting release when the effect of the load thereon is relieved.

Another object of the invention is to provide a load-carrying andreleasing device having a hook for retaining engagement with asupporting line when the device is stored and before it is placed. intouse for supporting a load and means for arming the device in response tothe application of a load thereto and whereby, when so armed, the hookwill be automatically operated to disengage the supporting line uponrelief of the pull of the supporting line on the hook although itsdisengagement from the supporting line is prevented by a positive lockso long as the full effect of the load on the device is maintained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a load-supportingstructure wherein provision is made for absorbing shock incident to anabrupt pull upon the device as when a load becomes effective thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention appear in thefollowing description and accompanying drawings in which the principleof the invention and the best mode of applying the same are disclosed.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 i a longitudinal section of a device incorporating the principleof our invention;

Fig. 2 is a section of the device on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the device with itshook displaced to an intermediate position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view of the device in extended and armedcondition;

Fig. 5 illustrates the action of the device in releasing a supportingline.

The device of the present invention includes an outer tubular casin H)and an inner tubular casing H nested within the outer casing andarranged to slide longitudinally of each other and in telescopingrelationship. The outer casing I0 is attached at one end to a block I2by means of a pin 13 which extends through the block and opposite sidewalls. of the casing. The block has depending therefrom a lug l4 whichis provided with an opening i5 by which a load-supporting line it isfastened to the block and the outer casing. When in use the load whichis tobe lowered and released by the device is secured to theload-supporting line It.

The two casings are held in assembled rela- 55 tionship'by a pin 1 l.Opposite walls of the outer casing I 0 engage and support pin llintermediate theends of the casing and the pin traverses the interior ofthe casing. The walls l8 and IQ of the inner casing H are provided withlongitudinal slots 2t, 2!, for the travel of pin I! when the innercasing is moved longitudinally of, the outer casing. The limits oftravel of the inner casing with respect to the outer casing aredetermined by the slots and pin I! as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

Within the inner casing there are mounted a pair of bars 22,23 which areslotted at 24 and 25, respectively, to permit movement of the bars withthe inner casing. The lower ends of these bars are fastened to the innercasing by pins 26, 2?, and the upper ends of these bars are connected tothe inner casing by a sleeve 28 and a pin 29. The. upper ends of slots24 and 25 in bars 22 and 23, respectively, engage pin I! when the innerand outer casings are telescoped together, Fig. 2. Sleeve 28 is mountedover a pin 29 which is engaged andsupported by the opposite walls It andIQ of the inner casing.

The inner casing H and attached bars 22 and 23 constitute a slidethrough which the pull of the load on one end of the outer casing istransmittedto hook 3! at the other end of the device. The effect of theload suspended from the device is transmitted through the device fromhook 38 to pin 29 and from pin 29 to bars 22 and 23 to pin H and theouter casing when the device is being used to support a load as shown inFig. 4. While either the inner casing or the bars may be made to, alonefulfill the load transmitting function, the inner casing has the furtherfunction of cooperating with the hook to lock the hook in place when theinner casing is extended from the outer casing under load-carryingconditions, as explained hereinafter.

. Before the device is placed in tension by loading, the slidecomprising inner casing i l and bars 22 and 23 is telescoped within theouter casing in the. manner illustrated in Fig. 1. Opening 3! in thebase of the hook is elongated to permit limited sliding movement betweenthe hook and the slide. The back of the hook has 'a projection 32 with aflat surface 33 adapted to contact with the inner wall of the outercasing Ill when the slide and the outer casing are in nestedrelationship, as illustrated in Figs. land 3. The inner casing I I isprovided with a slot 341 for this purpose. The outer casing prevents thehook from rotating and releasing ring 35 when the device is beingtransported (Fig. 1) and until the lock- 3 ing security of the outercasing is transferred to strip 3'! constituting part of the inner easingduring use of the device under load, Fig. 4.

The notch in the hook above shoulder 36 enables the upper end of thehook to be drawn from inner casing H to the extent illustrated in Figs.3 and 4. Hook 30 can be easily displaced from the position shown in Fig.1 to the position shown in Fig. 3 by a light pull on the hook, and whenso displaced the hook will be in a position to be locked againstrotation by strip 31 until the pull effected through line 38 isslackened. Ring 35 is attached to a supporting line 38 which may besuspended from a hoist or a parachute, depending on the field in whichthe invention is to be used.

For assisting in unlocking hook 30 and disengaging the hook from ring35, a spring 39 i provided. The upper end of this spring is attached toa loop of wire 40' which engages a, hole 4| in the hook located on theside of pin 28 opposite from the point of engagement of ring 35 with thehook. The lower end of spring 39 has an elongated loop 42 which isengaged by a loop 43 of a connecting wire whose other end is alsoprovided with a, loop 44 surrounding. a pin 45 which is fastened in theblock [2 of the outer casing. The two loops 42 and 43 are soproportioned as to avoid causing the tensioning of spring 39 during mostof the movement of hook 30 from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 tothe position illustrated in Fig. 3. In the latter position, spring 39 isslightly tensioned.

When the efiect of the load comes upon the device, hook 30 andthe'slide, comprising bars 22 and 23 and the inner casing H, is drawnfrom within the outer casing until stopped by engagement of the lots 24and 25 with pin H, as illustrated in Fig, 4. The efiect of shockresulting from a sudden pull on the device is absorbed during initiationof the pull by the bearing pressure of surface 33 on the inner wallsurface of outer sleeve ID. This pressure is proportional to the amountof the load being applied through the supporting line 38. Because of thelocation of the point of application of force between ring 35 and hook30, the hook tends to rock and thereby provides pressure betweenthe backedge of the hook and the outer casing. This is important in preventingstrains in the supporting lines and also in a parachute when the deviceis being used to drop a load to the ground. When abutment 32 at the backof the hook passes beyond the outer casing the hook is locked inposition relative to the inner casing by strip 31 of the inner casing.During withdrawal of the hook and slide spring 39 becomes tensioned, asillustrated in Fig, 4, and exerts a couple on hook 30 in a direction forunlocking the hook from strip 31 and disengaging the hook from ring 35.

When the device is armed and the inner sleeve is fully extended, asshOWIl in Fig. 4, the inner sleeve is locked in extended position by aspring 46. Spring 46 is fastened to the outer casing and is disposed ina slot 41 through which it projects when uncovered by the inner casingto a, position below the lower edge of the inner casing, as shown inFig. 4. The spring is provided with a lip 48 whereby the spring may beretracted when it is desired to telescope the inner casing within theouter casing.

When the device is relieved of its carrying function, as when the loadbeing carried thereby is caused to alight upon the ground, spring 39retracts hook 30 to a position below the upper end of slot 34 andthereby disengages the hook from locking relation with strip 37. Thehook then pivots and passes through slot 34 under the action of thesprin in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5, thereby releasing ring 35.

Another device may then be attached to ring 35 for a subsequent carryingand releasing operation.

The device is attached to a ring 35 by first withdrawin the inner casingfrom the outer casing and then placing the ring within the inner casingand manually engaging the ring with hook 30. While the hook is thusengaged, locking spring 45 is manually displaced from engaging positionwith the lower edge of the inner casing and the inner casing istelescoped within the outer casing in the manner illustrated in Fig. l.49 is a ring reinforcing the end of the inner casing and serves as astop bearing against the outer casing when the inner casing is fullynested within the outer casing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anouter casing, means for attaching a load to said casing, an inner casingin sliding relation to said outer casing, a pin supported from oppositesides of said outer casing and extending through longitudinal slots insaid inner casing, a pair of longitudinally-extending bars within saidinner casing, said bars being attached to said inner casin and havinglongitudinal slots for the passage of said pin, said inner casing beingdisplaceable relative to said outer casing and limited to extendeddisplacement by said pin, means supported by said inner casing, a hookdisposed within said inner casing whereby a line may be hooked, saidhook having an opening engaged by said last-named means, means forholding said inner and outer casings in extended positions, and a springhaving one end attached to the back of said hook and its other endattached to said outer casing, said spring being adapted to exert forceon said hook when a pull is exerted on said hook by a supporting lineattached thereto and to rotate said hook on its supporting means whenthe pull on the supporting line is slackened.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anouter casing, means for attaching a load to said casing, an inner casingin sliding relation to said outer casing, a pin supported from oppositesides of said outer casing 5 and extending through longitudinal slots insaid inner casing, a pair of longitudinally-extending bars within saidinner casing, said bars being attached to said inner casing and havinglongitudinal slots for the passage of said pin, said inner 55 casingbeing displaceable relative to said outer casing and limited to extendeddisplacement by said pin, a pin supported by said inner casing, a

hook disposed Within said inner casing whereby a line may-be hooked,said hook having an open- 0 ing surrounding said last-named pin, saidopenin being elongated to permit limited sliding of said hook relativeto said last-named pin, a projecting surface on the back of said hookprojecting through an opening in said inner casing 65 and adapted toengage the inner surface of said outer casing. when said casings are ininwardly telescoped relation, means fOr holding said inner and outercasings in extended position, and a spring having one end attached tosaid hook and 70 its other end attached to said outer casing, saidspring being adapted to retract said hook longitudinally of said barswhen pull on the supporting line is slackened and to rotate said hookthrough the opening in the inner casing to release the sup- 7 portingline.

3. In a device of'the character described the supported from oppositesides of said outer casing and extending threugh longitudinal slots insaid inner casing, a pair -01? longitudinally-extending bars within saidinner casing, said bars being attached to said inner casing and having,longitudinal slots for the passage of said pin, said inner casing beingdisplaceable relative to said outer casing and limited to extendeddisplacement by said pin, a pin supported by said inner casin a hookdisposed within said inner casing whereby a line may be hooked, saidhook havin an opening surrounding said last-named pin, said openingbeing elongated in a direction longitudinally of said bars forpermitting relative movement between said hook and said bars, a springattached to the back of said hook and to said outer casing and normallyineffective to restrain the movement of said hook relative to said bars,but effective to exert restraint on said hook when said inner casing isdrawn from within said outer casing by a pull on the supporting line, abearing surface on the back of said hook for frictio-nally engaging saidouter casing when the supporting cord initiates pull on said hook forextending said inner and outer casings, and means cooperativelyassociated with said inner and outer casings for holding said casings inextended position after a load has been supported by said device.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anouter tubular casin an inner casing intelescoping relation with saidouter casing, means for limiting the amount of extension of one of saidcasings to the other, means for attaching a load to said outer casing,means for attaching a supporting line to said inner casing, saidlast-named means including a hook pivotally supported from said innercasing, spring means having one end attached to the back of said hookand its other end attached to said outer casing, said spring means beingnormally ineffective to exert influence on said hook when said casingsare in closed telescoping relationship but eiiective on said hook whensaid casings are extended from one another,

and means to hold said casings in extended rela-.

casing whereby connection is made between a supporting line and saidcasing, said means ineluding a-slide which is slotted for slidingengagement with a pin supported by said casing, a second pin carried bysaid slide, a hook pivotally mounted on said second pin and normallydisposed within said casing, a spring having one end anchored to saidcasing and its other end secured to the back of said hook, said springbeing adapted to be extended to exert force on said hook when said hookand slide have been displaced lengthwise of said casing under pullthereon by the supporting line and to cause pivoting of said hook torelease said supporting line when the pull on said line is slackened,and means for holding said slide in displaced relationship with respectto said casing.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising acasing and means for attaching a load to the casing, means within saidcasing whereby connection is made between a supporting line andsaidcasing, said mean'sin= eluding a slide which is slotted for slidingengagement with a pin supported by said casing, a'se'cond pin carried bysaid slide, a hook havinga slot surrounding said second pin, said'slotbeingelongated in a direction for movement of said hook 'loiigitudinallyof said slide, a spring connected to the back of said hook and to saidcasin for effecting force on said hook when said hook and slide havebeen displaced relatively to said casing by a pull on the supportingline attached to the hook, whereby when the pull of the supporting lineon said hook is slackened said hook is drawn lengthwise of said slideand rotated from hooking engagement with said line, and means forholding said slide in displaced relationship with respect to saidcasing.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising acasing and means for attaching a load to the casing, means within saidcasing whereby connection is made between a supporting line and saidcasing, said means including a slide which is slotted for slidingengagement with a pin supported by said casing, a second pin carried bysaid slide, a hook pivotally mounted on said second pin and normallydisposed within said casing, said hook being held within said casing bycontact with said casing, but adapted to be rotated for releasing a linetherefrom when said hook and slide have been displaced lengthwise ofsaid casing, a spring having one end anchored to said casing and itsother end secured to the back of said hook, and means for locking saidslide and casing in displaced relationship,

8. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anouter casing and means for attaching a load to said outer casing, meanswithin said outer casing whereby connection is made between a supportingline and said outer casing, said means including an inner casing whichis slotted for sliding engagement with a pin supported by said outercasing, a second pin carried by said inner casing, a hook pivotallymounted on said second pin, a slot in said inner casing for permittingthe back of said hook to contact with said outer casing when said innercasing is within said outer casing, means on said inner casing forpreventing rotation of said hook relative to said second pin when theinner casing and hook are displaced relatively to the outer casing,means for holding said inner casing in displaced relationship withrespect to said outer casing, and a spring connected to said hook and tosaid outer casing for effectin force on said hook when said hook andinner casing have been displaced relatively to said outer casing by apull on a supporting line attached to said hook, whereby when the pullof the supporting line on said hook is slackened said hook is drawn fromengagement with said rotation-preventing means on said inner casing androtated from hooking engagement with said line.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anouter tubular casing, means for attaching a load to said casing, aninner casing in telescoping relation to said outer casing, a pair ofbars secured to said inner casing, a pin secured to said outer casingand extending through longitudinal slots in said bars and inner casingwhereby the sliding of said casings relatively to each other is limited,means supported by said inner casing, a hook disposed within said innercasing whereby a supporting line may be hooked, said hook having aneloncasing are displaced relatively to said outer casing and to pivotsaid hook when restraint on said hook is relieved, and means for holdingsaid inner casing displaced with respect to said outer 5 casing.

LEONARD P. FRIEDER. WALTER S. FINKEN.

